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The Role of Christian Spirituality Training in Christian Education: A Case Study on the Learners’ Experience

The Role of Christian Spirituality Training in Christian Education: A Case Study on the Learners' Experience

PUN Yuk Ping

This article explores the role of Christian spirituality training in Christian education through a case study. The author employs Richard Osmer's approach to practical theology interpretation. The learning experiences of two Christians who graduated from a Christian spirituality degree program are analyzed. Data was collected through in -depth interviews with the two participants, focusing on (1) what motivated them to pursue Christian spirituality; (2) which experiences were significant in their learning process; and (3) what the training outcomes were.

The gap between cognitive knowledge of Christianity and life experiences motivated the participants to undertake Christian spirituality training. The author discusses the factors contributing to this gap and analyze how the training helped the participants review and interpret their experiences. The training offered new perspectives for the participants , enabling them to reassess and renew their previous frames of reference.

The author raises three theological concerns regarding the content and purpose of Christian spirituality training:

  • 1. When introducing various spiritual traditions and disciplines to Christians, it is essential to equip them to discern the different theological foundations of these traditions.
  • 2. Further exploration of the spirituality within the evangelical tradition and the potential influence of theological concepts inherited from Chinese church traditions could help the learners in this study better understand their previous frames of reference.
  • 3. In addressing the fragmentation issue in theological education, rediscovering the theologia is crucial. Training in Christian spirituality can provide a valuable platform for collaboration among different theological disciplines, helping Christians integrate their faith with their experiences.

Finally, the author concludes that Christian spirituality training can serve a bridging role in Christian education. On the one hand, it helps Christians connect their experiences to Christian interpretative perspectives. On the other hand, interdisciplinary collaboration enables Christians to make sound theological judgments regarding the practice of spiritual disciplines.

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